Re: Uploading

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Joe Jenkins asks:
> Where do others stand on this list? So far, it seems I'm the only one
> on the list with this idea of identity. If I'm the only one on this
> list, I'm probably the only one in the world. What a lonely and cold
> feeling it is to be the sole resident of this memetic fitness bump.
> What are you guys selecting for anyway? Anyone want to party at my
> place?

Personally I think Joe's treatment is pretty reasonable. In a world in which making temporary copies was easy, I suspect that I could get comfortable with pushing the self-terminate button if I knew that a very recent copy was continuing on. Similarly I could face my own death with considerably more ease if I knew that I had a recent backup.

As Joe has written, there are a few reasons for this:

• It allows me to take advantage of copying technology in a manner which would not be practical if all copies were permanent. The latter would raise difficult problems of resource distribution, etc.
• Over a long period of time, I will do this many times, and I basically would expect to get used to it. The loss of information each time would not seem too bad based on my many experiences with the process.
• Every night when I fall asleep I face the same problem: my current thoughts will be lost due to hypnagogic amnesia. As I relinquish my consciousness, the "me" which is drowsily thinking will be destroyed forever. When I awaken in the morning my last memories will be of thoughts which preceded those which I had just before sleep. But I've gotten used to it.
• A technological trick could help: all copies are treated identically, and at the end of the temporary split we all push the self-terminate button, with only one copy, randomly selected, allowed to continue. This way I am able to practice pushing the button and becoming inured to it over time.
• If many-worlds is true then when I push the self-terminate button it won't seem to work, my consciousness will continue on in some universe. Much the same thing is true if a merciful God exists. This may give me solace even when I know that this instance of me is about to be destroyed.

Hal

• [ Next ] In reply to: Joe Jenkins Next in thread: Hara Ra